


Legend of the crystal Jiggy

by Xenofan



Category: Banjo tooie, Banjo-Kazooie, Steven Universe - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, N64, Nintendo - Freeform, nimtendo, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 10:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21159974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenofan/pseuds/Xenofan
Summary: When a mission with Steven and Amethyst goes wrong, Steven ends up at spiral mountain where he meets two new friends! But dark forces are uniting behind the scenes to see the bear, the bird, and the crystal gems defeated. How will our heroes triumph?This is my first ever fanfic so be sure to let me know how it is!





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1; Ice Key! 

Steven Universe sat in his room playing his video game, Put Putter. The sun streamed in from the outside, filling the room with warm rays as he quested to become the greatest golfer in all the lands. The house was quiet; the gems were currently off on a mission, so he had been left alone at home, again. He often wondered when he would get a chance to prove himself to the gems. He looked up to them so much, and felt horrible when he let them down.  
Suddenly, the warp pad activated, in a flash of blue light the crystal gems appeared. The sleek and serene Pearl, in her usual blue ballet style outfit; Garnet, in her red and black glory, her eyes eternally obscured by her sunglasses giving her an eternally cool look; and the short, purple, Steven-sized, Amethyst.  
“Steven, we’re home!” Pearl called out in a sing songy voice.  
“Guys, you’re back!” Pausing his game, Steven rushed down the stairs as fast as his short legs would let him.  
“Yo Steven! Check out what we found!” Amethyst laughed, pulling out what looked to be some sort of key. It appeared to be made out of solid ice or crystal, light reflecting through it, casting a rainbow all over the small house.  
“Wow! That is so cool!” Steven exclaimed, his eyes turning to stars for a moment before he realized something. “What’s it unlock?”  
Amethyst shrugged. “Dunno man, your guess is as good as mine.”  
“It probably just unlocks some gem safe or vault, but I do confess I have no idea why the key would be made of crystal...” Pearl hypothesized, gently tapping her foot with her arms crossed.  
Garnet, still and silent as usual suddenly reached over and took the key from Amethyst. “Steven, this key could lead to any number of possible gem secrets, which is why we are entrusting it to you.”  
Pearl spun her head towards Garnet with a shocked expression upon her face.  
“Wha wha WHAAAAT?! But Garnet don’t you think Stevens a little inexperienced to-“  
“And he will remain inexperienced unless we let him prove himself. Steven is a crystal gem too, we need to start treating him like one.”  
At this moment Amethyst piped up. “Awwww yeah Steven’s got his own mission! Goooo Steven!” The dwarf gem exclaimed, beating her chest like a caveman and making “whoo whoo!” Sounds.

Steven looked at the key as Garnet handed it to him. As she placed it in his hands he felt how cool it was to the touch. It was shaped like one of those old timey keys that he saw in his movies. Taking the key and looking it over some more, he felt how smooth it was to the touch, as if every imperfection had been buffed out of it.  
“Don’t worry guys! I’ll find what this goes to and it will be awesome! Maybe it will be some cool gem stuff! Like a cat that shoots lasers or or a super mega gem instrument! Oh oh, or the secret of the boomerang blade!” Steven cried out pumping his firsts into the air.  
Pearl cringed at that last part, remembering the last time Steven brought up the boomerang blade.  
“Eeeerr, Garnet, are you sure this is the best course of action? This key could unlock something dangerous and-“  
“I know Pearl, which is why we are sending Amethyst with him.”  
Pearl’s face went even paler than usual as she looked down at the scrappy gem who was now sticking her tongue out at her in a mocking manner.  
“Garnet I-“  
Garnet turned her head and looked directly at Pearl, making the white gem flinch slightly as she backed down, not wanting to confront the fusion and de facto leader of the crystal gems.  
Taking a deep breath, Pearl sighed. Kneeling down to Steven’s level she put her hands on the young boy's shoulders.  
“Oh, alright, Steven just promise me you’ll be careful out there, alright? If anything happens, be sure to come back and get us, ok?”  
Steven nodded, a small but ferociously optimistic look on his face. Turning his gaze to Amethyst Steven asked “Can we go now, Amethyst? Please please please please?!”  
Shrugging in indifference Amethyst nodded. “Sure man, I ain’t got nothing to do today other then mess up my room some more, so let’s go!”  
The two shortest crystal gems hopped on the warp pad as Pearl and Garnet stepped off.  
“Warp master!” Steven shouted striking a pose with his arms in the air, Amethyst began snickering as the two were beamed off to who knows where. As soon as they were gone, Pearl sighed, and looked over at Garnet.  
“Garnet, are you sure this is a good idea? Steven’s still so young and, allowing him to go off with Amethyst is-“  
“The perfect way to help him build confidence in himself.” Garnet replied matter of factly. Turning her square head towards Pearl she continued.  
“Pearl, listen to me. Steven needs to build up his confidence, when he’s around you or me he always tries to impress and prove himself. But, with Amethyst, Steven is Steven. By letting him go with her we are placing our trust in our teammates, instead of our ability to protect them.”  
Pearl let out a defeated sigh.  
“You’re right Garnet. I just...worry about him...” Pearl looked up at the picture of Rose Quartz that they kept hung up above the doorway with a saddened expression. Her normally straight and upright posture slouching a bit.  
“He reminds me so much of Rose at times I just can’t help but-“  
“But he’s not Rose”  
Pearl looked over her shoulder at the towering fusion.  
“Steven is Steven Pearl. I know he reminds you of Rose, and he’s all we have left of her, but he’s not her. We need to be thinking about what’s best for him, even if it’s difficult for us.”  
Pearl slowly nodded and looked back up at the picture of Rose. “oooh Steven.... Please take care of yourself”


	2. Temple of the jiggywig

Chapter 2; Temple of the Jiggywiggy

Steven and Amethyst rematerialized in a temple of sorts. The inside of the temple was like nothing Steven has ever seen before. The walls and ceiling seemed to be made out of giant puzzle pieces. Over to Steven’s left, there was some kind of mirror with a red frame, with golden puzzle pieces on it making a golden wall of sorts. To the left of the mirror wall was a sign that read, “Remember, no cameras permitted, and only food purchased at McJiggy's can be eaten within.” Steven let out a small gasp of amazement as he looked around at the temple.   
“Ooooo this is so cool! Amethyst, what is this place?!” The young gem asked, turning his smiling face towards the purple gem. The smile slowly faded from his face as he noticed the look of confusion on her face.  
“Amethyst? Is something wrong?”   
The wild gem turned her head towards Steven quickly trying to hide her alarm at her surroundings.   
“Naaah, warp pad just took us to the wrong place, must be busted or something, I’ll warp us out of here and we’ll be fine.” Amethyst said, closing her eyes and focusing on the warp pad.   
Steven looked down at the warp pad they were standing on, and noticed that it didn’t look like the warp pads that the gems normally used. This one appeared to be made of crystal and was in the shape of a puzzle piece, just like the floor, walls, and ceiling. Amethyst groaned in frustration as she tried to get the warp pad to activate.   
“Urrghh come on you stupid thing! Work already!” She shouted angrily, kicking the crystal puzzle piece in frustration.  
“WHO DARES TO THREATEN THE CRYSTAL JIGGY?!?” A voice boomed from the darkness shaking the entire temple. Steven stumbled and fell off the crystal puzzle piece onto the floor as Amethyst shouted back at the voice.   
“HEY, I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT A JIGGY, IS SO HOW ABOUT YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE!”   
The air was silent for a few precious moments before the voice thundered again.   
“YOU ARE UNWORTHY! YOU DO NOT PROCESS ANY OF THE SACRED PIECES!! BEGONE HEATHEN!!!”   
Suddenly, several chamber doors opened in the walls of the temple as various monsters began to spill into the room. Green muscular troll-like creatures and flying torodidal monsters with furious beady eyes. The beasts stampeded directly towards Amethyst and Steven. The younger gem began to scream, and ran behind Amethyst, who had drawn her whip from her gem.   
“Steven, stay behind me!” Pulling her shoulders back, Amethyst lashed out with her whip and smashed one of the creatures in the face, knocking it back into the wall. The creature let out a cry of pain as it smacked into the wall before sliding off it and plopping face first into the floor. Several more creatures rushed Amethyst, some of the flying enemies swooping down at her and pecking her head. Steven stood behind her with his shield at the ready two of the short troll like creatures began to smash there large first against his shield. Steven pushed back against the creatures managed to knock them off the warp pad. Amethyst leapt into the air and whipped another of the flying creatures, her whip wrapped around the creature and she began to smack the beast into the other monsters as they kept advancing towards the pair. Steven threw his shield at the two trolls he had knocked off the warp pad, and turned to Amethyst.   
“Amethyst, what's the plan!? What do we do?” Steven cried in a panic, unsure of what to do against an onslaught of enemies.   
“I DON’T KNOW, LEMME THINK!” She shouted, pulling another whip from her gem. Amethyst began to lash out madly with her whips, striking every creature she could, not bothering to think about what she was doing. Steven kept his back to her throwing his shield and recalling it to his side to protect him from attack. Amethyst looked around her to see that the flow of enemies wasn't slowing down.  
“Ok Steven, I got an idea!” Amethyst yelled over the grunts and cackles of the monsters.   
“What is it?!” Steven shouted back pushing to more monsters off them.  
“RUN!!!”   
The purple gem threw her whips into the crowd of monsters and picked up the young gem and leapt over the creatures. Steven screamed in panic as the two took off down the dark hallways that creatures had come from. Amethyst ran as fast as her short legs would carry her as the creatures began to pursue them. Steven looked around them as Amethyst ran trying to look for a possible way out of their current situation. But all he saw was darkness and that same puzzle piece pattern repeating itself over and over again. Amethyst ran screaming loudly as they emerged into the same room they had just come from.   
“WHAT!?!??! NOOOOOO THIS ISN’T HAPPENING! This is just like that pyramid all over again!!” Amethyst shouted dropping Steven and pulling her hair.   
“L-lets try the warp pad again! Amethyst come on!” Steven rushed toward the giant crystal jigsaw piece, Amethyst quickly followed behind him, and lept up onto the giant puzzle piece. She looked back to where they had entered the room to see the monsters running and flapping closely behind them. She knew they couldn't handle this many on their own, how did this happen? She had been trying to take them to the strawberry fields, how could the wrap pad have taken them this off course.   
“Steven! Let's try and activate the warp pad together!”   
The young gem took and deep breath and began to focus, his gem lighting up with a pink glow. Amethyst's gem began to glow as well as the giant jigsaw piece below them began to glow. A beam of light show up from the giant puzzle piece as the two were whisked away in a flash of light. Steven and Amethyst each took a deep breath sighed in relief as they floated in the warm stream.   
“Phew, that was a close one. Let's not tell Garnet and Pearl, ok bud?” Amethyst sighed.  
“But shouldn't we tell them what happened? I mean that wasn’t normal right?”   
Amethyst looked at Steven, and shrugged her shoulders trying to play her friend nerves off in a comedic manner.  
“Nah man, that’s normal, warp pads are pretty glitchy, have you ever seen the movie The Fly?”  
“No, is it about a happy fly and his family?”  
Amethyst looked at the young gem and opened her mouth to tease him, but before she could a loud cackle suddenly filled the air. Steven and Amethyst looked at each other in confusion as a voice began to speak.  
“Clever you are! You escaped my trap! But grunty needs the boys healing powers! So give him back!”   
The crystal gems looked outside the warp stream to a horrifying sight, a skeletal witch riding on a broomstick, her eyes were two different sizes and glared at the two with pure malice. Lifting one of her boney arms up a swirl of green energy manifested. The humm of its power made the hairs on Stevens arm stand up.  
A bolt of green magic suddenly struck Steven in the chest sending him spiraling out of the warp stream. Amethyst screamed and drew her whip wrapping it around Stevens leg keeping part of him in the warp stream.  
“Steven, HOLD ON!!’ Amethyst shouted trying to pull the young boy back to safety.   
“Still you resist! I’ll give you that! But let's see you withstand this attack!”  
The witch raised her arm once again collecting an even bigger bolt of magic than before. Amethyst's eyes widened in fear as the bolt of magic was sent straight at her. She felt her physical form strain against the blast for a split second before she poofed. Her body vanishing in a cloud of purple smoke as Steven fell from the warp stream.

Seconds later, the warp stream arrived back at the gem temple. Pearl and Garnet stared at Amethysts Gem in pure shock and horror. Rushing over to there poofed comrade Pearl reached for Amethysts gem only for a blot og green energy to shoot off it and temporarily distrust her physical form, Pearl stared in disbelief and turned to Garnet.  
“What happened…. Garnet, use your vision! What happened!? Where’s Steven?! What’s happened to Amethyst's gem?!”  
The leader of the crystal gems was silent, her fists clenched tightly as she reached up and took off her sunglasses.  
“I-I don’t know, something’s blocking my sight….” She turned her gaze down towards Amethysts Gem noticing small green crackles of energy coming off it.   
“We have to wait for Amethyst to reform, or find a way to remove this energy that’s keeping her from reforming ... we need to form a plan we need to…..”   
suddenly a loud cackling sound echoed through the temple, Garnet and Pearl drew their weapons immediately.   
“Who’s there!? What have you done with Steven?!” Garnet roared in an uncharacteristic fury, her Gauntlets ready and willing to bash whatever has dared to harm her comrades.   
A proof of green smoke came from Amethyst’s Gem. The smoke began to spiral and take form before the two crystal gems, who stood ready to combat whatever strange foe they were facing. The smoke condensed into the shape of a skeletal woman wearing a witches hat and tattered robes.   
“WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH OUR BABY!?” Pearl shouted at the witch pointing her spear at the Smokey figure.   
“The boy is mine! His power I need! Grunty's return is at hand indeed! You pesky gems will stop me naught! This time I’ve reinforcements I’ve got!”   
Garnet stood in front of the smoky witch, her entire figure trembling with pent up anger. “You listen to me you witch, I don’t know who you are or why you’ve taken Steven, but I can promise you this, that if you hurt him, in ANY way, you will regret this day for the rest of your life.”   
Gruntilda smiled in an arrogant manner at the gem as she snapped her fingers and the smoke disappeared back into Amethyst’s gem. Pearl looked at Garnet with tears in her eyes,  
“Oh Steven……. no no no this can’t be happening….”


	3. Spiral Mountain

It was a sunny day on spiral mountain, buzz bombs buzzed and the various googly eyed vegetables had been replanted and were bouncing around. Much of the destruction left from Gruntilda’s Hag-1 digging machine had been repaired over the last few years by the bear and bird that lived here. Spiral mountain curved it’s way up towards the sky in its namesake spiral shape, the water around it clear as crystal and reflecting the sunlight in a beautiful manner. Bees buzzed around the growing flowers and grains as well as the few small trees growing in the area. Gruntilda’s lair remained empty as it had since that fateful day many years ago when she fell from her tower. But today the peaceful mountain side was to be distributed.   
“Banjo Banjo, get up!” Kazooie the red crested Bregual shouted from the blue backpack hung up on the coat rack. Banjo the bear slowly opened his eyes rubbing them as he sat up pushing his blue bed sheets off of him.   
“What is it Kazooie? Today’s my day to sleep in!”   
“Everyday’s been your day to sleep in since we beat that boney hag at racing! Up and at em! Something just fell from the sky!”   
The yellow shorts wearing bear stood up and stretched yawning loudly as Kazooie started at him with an impatient look. Banjo was great really, but he could be so slow sometimes!  
“Kazooie is this another prank? Because the last time you pulled a prank poor bottles ended up dead and that wasn’t very funny!”   
Kazooie rolled her eyes. “Well, humor is subjective….”  
“Kazooie!”  
“Sorry Banjo….” Kazooie muttered under her breath. For all her foul mouthed jabs, she really did feel bad when she upset Banjo. “But I’m being serious! Something fell from the sky out there!”   
Banjo nodded and grabbed the backpack that Kazooie called home and slung it over his shoulder. Banjo opened the door to his house and the duo stepped outside. Making their way along the dirt path from there house Banjo made his way over to the mountain. Sure enough something HAD fallen from the sky right into their wheat fields.   
“See Banjo, I told you something had fallen!” Kazooie chimed as Banjo rushed over to see what it was. Making his way over to the field Banjo walked up to the small crater to find a young boy with poofy black hair, wearing a red shirt with a star on it. He looked fairly beat up, obviously from the fall. He had multiple cuts on his body and was black and blue all over.   
“Oh geez, he doesn’t look too good, maybe we need to get skull head over here.” Kazooie muttered looking at the beat up child currently lying in the creator.  
Banjo immediately knelt down and picked the poor kid up, making sure to support his head, and rushed him back to his house. Once inside Banjo placed the boy on his bed. Putting several pillows under the boy to make him comfortable, Banjo began to twiddle his thumbs nervously. He never had much experience getting hurt; whenever he got injured he just ate some honey combs and instantly felt better. Kazooie looked over banjos’s shoulder at the injured boy, she didn’t really care what happened to him, but she could see the distress it was causing banjo, which in turn caused her distress.   
“Kazooie, I got it! We just need to get him some honey! That always works for us when we take fall damage!”  
“I don’t think a few honey combs are gonna fix this…. He fell more than the old hag when we beat her in Banjo Kazooie!”  
Banjo looked back at the young boy. He had a few bruises on him and a nasty looking black eye. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.   
“Banjo, let’s go find skull head! The jinjo’s and Moles are having their annual kickball tournament today! You know Mumbo wouldn’t miss that!”  
Banjo nodded as Kazooie stuck her legs out of the bottom flap of the backpack and began to talon trot out of the house. Quickly making their way though spiral mountain the pair entered the cave that had been dug by the Hag 1 a few years back. Kazooie went ever faster than she normally did when running, she could tell Banjo was really worried about this poor kid and she wasn’t about to let her friend down!   
“Wooooow,Kazooie your going really fast!” Banjo said covering his eyes with his paws, afraid of how quick they were moving.   
“Yeah well, errrr, I’ve been working on you know? Gotta be in shape for if that bag o bones comes back.” Kazooie stated matter of factly, focused on the mission ahead of her. 

It was only a matter of minutes before the duo reached the Jinjo Village. The jinjo houses looked like single color graduated cylinders. The grey jinjo house had been left abandoned since the Hag 1 had destroyed it several years ago, but the green, orange, Green, red, and black jinjo houses all stood tall and proud. In the center was jam Jar’s mole tunnel which hasn’t been used in awhile as non of the Jinjo’s left the village much. Kazooie rushed through the town square and up to king Jingalings castle, for a castle it was fairly small, only one room half the size of a football field. Rushing up the hill leading to the castle Banjo and Kazooie were greeted to a wonderful sight. The mole family consisting of bottles, his wife and two children Specky and Goggles, gathered around with Jinjos every color of the rainbow, King Jingaling, who was a giant golden jinjo wearing a kings crown and robe who towered above everyone including banjo and Kazooie. The jinjos, who had snouts and ears sort of like cats and had triangular bodies and short stumpy tails all rejoiced at the sign of the bear and bird. After all, during their last three adventures they had saved or helped out just about every one of them.   
“Banjo! Kazooie! Welcome welcome!” The crowd of jinjos suddenly mobbed the bear and bird lifting them up upon there collective shoulders. As they were lifted up Kazooie noticed Humba Wumba and Mumbo Jumbo getting into an argument as usual as to who was the better magic user on the island.   
“Hey, put us down you multicolored midgets!” Kazooie squaked as Banjo just laughed gleefully at all the attention as they were brought before the king. King jingaling smiled at the duo.   
“Yo, Banjo, Kazooie! How’s it hanging?”   
“Well, we’re doing just fine your majesty! Though we don’t have time to stay for festivities.”   
The smile slightly faded from king Jingalings face. “Shame to hear that, you need something?”   
“Sure do Dingaling, we need Mumbo to come back with us to Spiral Mountain, pronto! Some kid fell from the sky and he’s hurt bad!” Kazooie blurted out abruptly.   
Banjo nodded solemnly in agreement turning towards the shamen. The crowd of jinjos parted as Mumbo made his way towards the duo.  
“Bear and bird need help from greatest magical shamen on island? Mumbo happy to help!”   
“Gosh Mumbo, we really appreciate it!” Banjo bumbled beaming.   
Humba wumba choose this exact moment to butt in.  
“No! Bear and bird need Humba‘s help! Not silly shaman!” The Indian magician said matter of factly scoffing at the thought of Mumbo being chosen over her. Banjo looked between the two magic users and shook his head.  
“Please we just need a healer, one or both of you can come. We just need to help the little boy get better!”   
“Humba will heal him in no time with or without silly shaman!”   
“No! Mumbo heal boy with Mumbo magic first!”   
The sha-women and the shaman than took off racing towards spiral mountain at top speed. Banjo was spun around in circles coughing at the dust cloud they left in their wake. “Well, at least the boy will be taken care of, come on Kazooie let’s head back! We should be there when he wakes up!”   
“Aww come on banjo, can’t we grab just a little bit to eat? Not like we can do anything for him now, we sent him two doctors!”   
The bregual paused as Banjo shook his head.  
“Well, alright, Kazooie you can grab something quickly, but we should really head back to see how the boy’s doing.”   
“Oooh don’t worry Banjo, I’ll be quick as can be.” Kazooie smiled mischievously, grabbing several plates full of unopened food she shoved them into the backpack she called home much to the annoyance of several jinjo’s.   
“Hey you can’t take all the pies like that, give those back!”   
“Sorry, can’t talk right now gotta go!” Kazooie laughed, poking her legs though the bottom of the backpack and hoisting Banjo up.   
“Hey! Kazooie!” Banjo complained as the bird took off running at full speed down the hill, with several pies hidden away in the endless abyss of banjo's backpack. 

Within a few minutes, the pair had made there way back to spiral mountain and banjos house. Mumbo and Humba wumba were standing outside Banjos house still arguing with each other.  
“Well? How is he? Is he ok?” Banjo asked in a concerned tone, a worried expression plastered across his face.  
“Bear and Bird need not worry, Mumbo work magic and boy sleeping peacefully now, all healed up.” Mumbo jumbo boasted grinning.  
“Stupid shaman nearly turn poor boy into rainbow rock! If not for Humaba…” humaba wumba scolded the shaman smacking him upside the head.   
Banjo let out a sigh and facepalmed making a d’oh sound as he shook his head.  
“Well, as long he’s ok, I don’t really care who healed him. Thank you both, it was very nice of you both to come here.” Banjo said making his way back into his house. Sitting down next to his bed Banjo and Kazooie looked at the young boy with the star shirt. Poking her head out of the backpack with. Half a pie stuffed in her face Kazooie looked the young boy up and down before turning to her companion.   
“Hey Banjo…. what exactly are we gonna do with this kid?”   
“We do what we do best Kazooie, we help him. Simple as that.” He said turning to Kazooie with a soft smile. “ Maybe we’ll even get to go on another adventure to help him get home.”   
“Well, hopefully there’s a Jiggy in it for-“ Kazooie started before noting the look banjo was giving her.  
“Right, poor kid’s probably a million miles from home and has bigger things to worry about than rewarding his saviors….. but banjo?”   
“Yes, Kazooie?”  
“Where do you think ‘home’ is for this poor kid?”  
Banjo opened his mouth to reply when, suddenly, the boy sat up screaming.


	4. Gems in distress

Pearl paced around the gem temple anxiously waiting for Amethyst to reform. It had been several hours and still she hadn’t come back and that strange energy hadn’t dissipated ether. Pearl couldn’t even pick up Amethysts gem as it would disrupt her own physical form. The bird nosed gem was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, her comrade was currently unable to reform and her baby was who knows where in the clutches of that witch. Pearl took a deep breath trying to calm herself. “ it’s going to be ok Pearl, it’s not like amethyst and Steven are gone with no chance of coming back oh Steven!!” She sobbed as the door flew open. Standing in the doorway was Garnet who walked in followed by none other than Connie. The young sword fighter stepped into the temple, a deadly serious look upon her face as she approached.  
“Garnet told me everything.”  
Pearl looked at the fusion as she lead Connie towards Amythests’s gem. Picking up Amethysts gem, Connie shivered a bit at its touch.  
“Connie, this could be very dangerous, we barely know who or what we are dealing with here.”  
“I know, but ...Steven’s my best friend. And you trained me to look out for him no matter what so that’s what I’m going to do! Friends don’t abandon each other just because things get scary! I’m going to be there for Steven!”  
Connie proclaimed. Pearl couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in her chest as she looked upon her pupil, Connie had come so far from the shy little girl Steven had met reading on the beach so long ago.   
“Alright team, here’s the plan.” Garnet said cooly.  
“We are going to bring Amethyst to rose’s garden to fix her gem and get information about what happened, then we are going to find and rescue Steven from this witch Grunty!” Garnet proclaimed with great confidence, in reality though, she was terrified, she couldn’t see into the future of these events at all, all she would see was a strange mist blocking her future vision. How powerful was this witch to be able to block her future vision. Not even the diamonds could do that! Walking towards the warp pad Garnet folded her arms across her chest as Pearl and Connie joined her. Activating the warp pad they soon found themselves in roses garden. The garden was still In bloom with Sakurai petals still raining from the sky along with pink roses. The team quickly made there way to the fountain ignoring the beauty around them. When they arrived, Connie placed amethyst's gem in the fountain. At once Amethysts gem began to glow a bright purple and green. The gems and Connie stood back in awe as the two lights split into two separate shapes. One of which fell to the ground as Amethyst, the other took on a strange form. It appeared to be some sort of humanoid creature, it had a skull for a head with three red feathers popping out of the top of it, bright blue eyes, it had a pinkish body and was holding a stick with another small skull on it.   
“Eekum Bokum! Who are strange ladies? How Mumbo get here?”   
Connie and Pearl looked at each other in confusion as Garnet approached the strange being. She stood in front of the strange man… if you could call it that.   
“Who are you and where is Steven?”   
The strange man tilted his head at Garnets question.  
“Mumbo no know who this Steven is.”   
At this moment Amethyst popped out of the foundation.  
“Steven! I-“ she shouted before realizing she was in roses foundation.  
Pearl rushed towards her companion and embraced her with a hug before quickly breaking apart said hug in embarrassment.   
“Amethyst! Are you ok? What happened to Steven?” Pearl shook amethyst back and forth rapidly before the scrappy gem managed to stop her. The purple gem looked up at Pearl, her eyes failing to hold back tears.   
“Pearl I- it’s all my fault. The warp took us to some weird temple and all these monsters attacked, we ran but we ended up back at this weird jigsaw warp pad thing and we tried to get outta there but this witch attacked us during our warp and knocked Steven out of the warp tunnel and I-“  
“Amethyst, stop.”   
Pearl and Amethyst looked over at Garnet who was in the process of removing her sunglasses. Here three eyes had a hint of melancholy in them,   
“This is all my fault, I had a vision that if Steven went with you he’d have a chance at growing stronger as a person and as a crystal gem. I decided it was a risk worth taking for Steven but I didn’t look at all the possibilities ...”   
“Rock ladies seem to be missing friend, puffy fat star child perhaps?”   
The crystal gems all suddenly turned towards Mumbo in shock. How did this strange being know Steven? How has he ended up trapped in Amethysts gem?   
“You know Steven? Where is he is he ok?” Amethyst blurted out grabbing Mumbo but the shoulders and shaking him back and forth. The shamans eyes rolled around in his head as he was shaken like a rag doll. The shamen dizzily teetered on the edge of the fountain for a few moments before regaining his composure.  
“Mumbo know about star child from bear and bird who wanted him to use as a power source. Bear and bird work with witch to capture boy with ice key trap. Seal Mumbo in punk rock dwarfs rock with magic curse, but new rock friends free Mumbo! So Mumbo help rock friends find star child and beat evil bear, bird, and witch!”   
The gems all looked at each other in complete and utter confusion. Pearl looked at the strange being in front of them and than at her fellow gems. She wasn’t sure what to think of this strange being, she had never seen anything like it in all her thousands of years.   
“I don’t know about this, that thing came from the blast that witch hit you with didn’t he amethyst?”   
Amethyst looked at the strange creature called Mumbo, her hand on her gem. Mumbo looked at her with a strange look in his eyes, she didn’t exactly trust this guy. Something about him felt off. Amethyst turned towards her fellow crystal gems and spoke.   
“Look, I don’t care where he came from, if he can lead us to Steven than I say we go with him. This witch and her bear and bird buddy are going down and we’re getting Steven back”   
Garnet nodded silently as well as Connie and Pearl.   
“Good! Mumbo will lead new friends to bear and bird’s lair! Save short fat boy! Bash for putting Mumbo in purple gem!”   
The shaman leapt off the edge of the fountain and started to lead the gems back towards the warp pad. His eyes shifting to a robotic red color as the gems and there human ally walked behind them.

(Foolish crystal gems! Gruntilda’s plan is perfect! Once these gem warriors destroy the bear and bird there will be nobody to stop us from taking over the Isle O hags, than for our efforts the homeworld gems will give us this planet as a reward for dealing with the Rose quartz! Migy jongo will be victorious!)


	5. The bear, the bird, and the gem

Steven universe had seen many strange sights in his short life. He had gone to space, the bottom of the ocean after lapis Lazuli had stolen the sea, fought all sorts of gem mutants and monsters, but bears walking on two legs wearing shorts and a backpack was new to him.  
“Gu-huh! He’s awake!” The strange bear emoted with a clap and a smile. Out from the bears blue backpack a red bird popped out looking over his shoulder.   
“Banjo, he looks a little pale, you sure skull head did everything right? Or maybe he just spends too much time inside watching emotional children’s cartoons.”   
Steven didn’t know what to make of that last remark as he sat up in the bed he was in. He looked around at the room he was in. It seemed like a cozy one room house, kinda like his own. The bed took up most of the room with a fireplace across from him and a small kitchen to his left. The bear and bird were to his right and seemed to be waiting for him to respond or do something.  
“Ummmm, hey….. where am I?”   
“You're in my house in spiral mountain, you took quite the fall little guy.” Banjo replied in a concerned tone.   
“Yeah… I think so” Steven rubbed his head trying to recall exactly how he had gotten himself in this situation.   
“ Oh my gosh Amethyst! That witch poofed her I gotta find her!” Steven leapt out of the bed and ran towards the door as fast as his short legs could carry him.   
“Banjo did he just mention a witch?” Kazzoie said flatly staring at her companion.  
“eeerr I think he did Kazooie, but I’m sure he’s talking about a different witch, maybe that nice one with the fancy heels we met in that tournament?”  
“ Banjo we both know she would have done something to increase this fanfics PG-13 rating so there’s only one option as to who the witch could be”  
“Do’oh, I was afraid you’d say that….” Banjo sighed as he got up to follow the star child.

Running outside Steven was blinded by the intense sunshine, covering his eyes for a moment he waited for them to adjust before he looked at the landscape around him, it was like nothing he had ever seen! He was in a canyon of some kind with mountains on all sides of him. In the middle of the canyon was a mountain that had a slope that wrapped around it leading all the way to the top. To the north of the mountain was a giant witch’s head hitting out of the rock kinda like the gem temple. If the gems were ugly old hags ...The mountain in the middle was surrounded by a small moat with a bridge having been built over said moat. A waterfall coming down from the cliff sides surrounding than canyon filled a small pour that fed into the moat as well. Steven couldn’t help but admire the beauty of this place, but there was one problem. Steven turned just in time to see Banjo and Kazooie running after him and coming to a stop just Behind him.   
“ Ummmm mr. Bear? How do you get to beach city from here?”   
“ You can call me Banjo, and I’ve never heard of a beach city before”  
Banjo turned his head  
“Kazooie?”  
“Unless the kid wants to go to treasure trove cove or atlantis I don’t know any beach cities.”   
Turning back towards Steven Banjo shook his head  
“Sorry, we don’t know, but we didn’t introduce ourselves properly, my name’s Banjo! And this here is my trusty partner Kazooie!” Banjo smiles giving a thumbs up as Kazooie spread her wings dramatically and posed alongside Banjo.  
“Nice to meet you I’m Steven, Steven universe”   
Steven and Banjo shook each other’s hands smiling at one another.   
“ So Steven, how exactly did you get here?”   
“ Well it all started when the crystal gems, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl came back to our home with this weird key made of Ice”   
Banjo and Kazooie gave each other a concerned look as Steven continued his story.  
“Than we warped to try and find what the key went to, but we ended up in this weird temple with all these puzzle pieces.”   
“ you mean Jiggywigs temple? How did you end up there? We needed a Jiggy just to get in and you don’t seem to have pockets big enough to carry any” Kazooie blurted out before being shared by Banjo.   
Steven looked at Banjo and Kazooie with a slightly shocked expression   
“You know Jiggywig? He had monsters attack Amethyst and I! And when we tried to leave via the warp pad we ended up being attacked by this rhyming witch during our warp!”  
Banjo and Kazooie looked at one another, rhyming witch?   
“Jiggywig can be a bit …...weird ...when it comes to his temple… but he’d never attack anyone unless they were trying to hurt the temple or his disciple. Something’s clearly wrong with him. I’m sorry you had to meet him that way Steven, he’s normally very nice!”   
Banjo explained, Jiggywig attacked poor Steven? Something wasn’t right, on top of that he had described Gruntilda in fairly good details, how many other witches had a thing for rhyming?   
“ Well Banjo we should go see what the heck is going on with jiggy wig shouldn’t we?”   
“ I think that’s a good idea, but we also need to try and help Mr. Steven get home.” Banjo nodded.  
“ If we can get to the warp pad in the temple I’m sure I can warp myself back home. Do you know how to get to jiggywigs temple from here?” Steven asked the bear and bird.  
“ Of course we do! That old puzzle piece priest helped us beat grunty in our second game, it’s a quick talon trot over there, but on your stubby legs it might take awhile.” Kazooie mocked pointing at Stevens short stature. Banjo exhaled loudly out his nose looking back at the breggul who coughed looking around avoiding his gaze.  
“ That sounds great! That you both! the gems are probably worried sick about me. ” Steven said suddenly leaping forward and hugging banjo. The platforming bear was extremely soft to the touch, like MC bear bear. Steven broke away from banjo who gestured for Steven to follow him. The trio made their way up the path around the moat of spiral mountain. Steven looked up into the wild blue yonder above him, wondering how the gems were doing. Hopefully they were ok, they were the crystal gems after all. They always found a way to pull though. Turning his attention back to banjo and Kazooie Steven followed the duo though a large tunnel in the mountain side.   
“ is this a normal tunnel?” Steven asked looking at the strange marks on the ceiling and walls of the cavern.  
Banjo looked over his shoulder at Steven  
“ errr no, it was made by Gruntilda’s sisters when the came to free her from her rocky prison a few years ago. They used a giant digging machine.”   
“ which we than blew up along with the boney hag, how she put herself back together though is a mystery” Kazooie added popping out of the backpack as they walked. The cave was very damp, water dripped from the ceiling in small droplets. One landed in Stevens hair sending a chill down his spine. Making their way through the cave the trio saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. As Steven walked through the exit his jaw dropped at what he saw. Giant cylinder shaped houses in all sorts of different colors. In the distance he could hear cheering of some kind as well as a heavenly aroma of food. Steven heard a loud growling noise as he put his hand on his stomach. Banjo and Kazooie turned to look at him with the bear raising an eyebrow  
“Are you ok Mr. Steven?”  
“ just a little hungry is all, I didn’t have breakfast this morning, and it’s just Steven.”   
“ Ok ‘just Steven’ well we can’t have you going hungry and starving to death on us so let’s go steal some food from the jinjos and moles party”   
Steven put his hand to his chin in deep thought. “I do like moles and food ...but what’s a jinjo?” Steven asked.  
The bear and bird looked at each other with a smirk.  
“oh you’ll see” 

Steven universe was a child of destiny. The only male gem in the cosmos and the heir to the rose quartz gem of his mother. He has fought aliens that sought the destruction of his home and redeemed enemies that he now called friends. He had fought monsters that shot acid, crawled on multiple legs, gem shards, gem shard fusions, and even watermelon versions of himself.  
But he had no clue what the heck was staring at him. These… ‘jinjo's’ snouts and ears sort of like cats and had triangular bodies and short stumpy tails. They came in just about every color as well. But what creeped Steven out was there giant bug eyes that started lifelessly at him.   
“ Everyone this is Steven!” Banjo smiles putting his hands on Stevens shoulders with a warm smile.  
The jinjo’s all turned there head’s in total sync at banjo, the bear gulped nervously as there gaze slowly shifted back to Steven. Kazooie than popped out of Banjo’s backpack.  
“The kid’s a friend of ours and likes kickball.”  
Suddenly the jinjos all cried out in high pitched voices. The mob rushed Steven and lifted him onto her shoulders.  
“ He likes kickball!”  
“ A friend of banjo and Kazooie’s is a friend of ours!”  
“Quickly! To the food tables!”  
“I forgot my line!”  
The jinjo’s cried bringing Steven over to the table. The crystal gem looked over the vast array of food in front of him. There were meats, fruits, vegetables, cookies shaped like Banjo and Kazooie as well as golden puzzle pieces, and even….  
“Cookie cat!” Steven shouted quickly filling a plate with as much food as possible. Steven shoved food into his face and the jinjo’s started to ask him all sorts of questions.  
“What animal are you?”  
“ where did you come from?”  
“ can I have your shirt?”  
“Are you a human? Does that mean you know Humba Wumba?”  
“Oh my god Chris not all humans know each other that’s racist!”  
“ actually it’s specialist! Since humans are a different species than Jinjo’s!”  
Steven swallowed the food in his mouth with a mighty gulp.  
“Well technically I’m only half human, my dads human and owns a car wash. My mom was a crystal gem” Steven explained lifting up his shirt to reveal his gem.  
“ she gave up her physical form in order to have me, so here I am.”   
The jinjos all awe over Stevens gem and how shiny it was.   
“Oh can I have it! It looks valuable!”  
“I don’t think it’s worth that much.”  
“We have tons of diamonds like that in glitter Gulch mine!”  
Steven paused for a moment.  
“ wait, what do you mean?”  
“ We have tons of gems like yours over in glitter gulch mine. Banjo and Kazooie fought a bunch of weird stuff down there when they saved a few of us.” The jinjo replied. Steven knitted his eyebrows together, it wasn’t possible… could there be a kindergarten here on this strange island?  
Banjo and Kazzoie watched as Steven interacted with the Jinjo’s and stuffed his face. The bear was smiling happily knowing that the kid was ok while Kazzoie was busy eating the pies she stole from the banquet earlier. Banjo tapped his foot to the whimsical flute music in the background as Humba Wumba approaches the duo.  
“Bear and bird have a moment?”  
“I’m not sharing the pie and that’s final!” The red crested breegull blurted stuffing more of the pie into her mouth.  
“Doesn’t matter, Humba want to talk about something else, besides, doesn’t like chicken pie.”  
Kazooie gagged and looked down at the meaty pie in front of her. Her pupils shrinking in abject horror at the realization she was eating another bird.   
“ eh, survival of the fittest” she said continuing to eat her pie.  
“What’s up Humba?” Banjo asked politely.  
“Humba have no idea how she came to the island, remember family only very faintly. Humba is happy with life here, but wants to know if other humans out there like Humba. Maybe ...if boy go home, Humba can go with?”  
“Well, we’d really miss you if you left Humba, your the greatest Sha-women we’ve ever met.” Banjo replied.   
“ Humba is only Sha-women bear and bird know.”   
“ Like banjo said, your the best there is, take the compliment!” Kazzoie huffed.  
The Native American giantess knelt down and nearly crushed the duo in a tight hug. Banjo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head and Kazooie struggled to breath.   
“Oooh Humba thank friends so much! Promise to come back soon if all goes well!”  
“ of course Humba we-“  
Suddenly the earth began to tremble. Plates clattered on the table falling off into the ground and shattering. The jinjo’s all began to panic as king Jingaling tried to keep his subjects under control for their own safety. Banjo and Kazooie rushes over to Steven as Humba Wumba ran over to Mumbo who had readied his staff just in case. A large digging machine suddenly burst from the ground. A large drill on the front of the tank like vehicle.   
Banjo gripped Steven tightly shielding him with his body as debris fell all around them. But no rocks or dirt hit him. Banjo opened his eyes to see a large pink shield protecting them all from harm. His eyes slowly made there way over to Steven who was glaring intently at the machine in front of him.  
“Show off..” Kazooie muttered as the hatch to the Hag 1 opened. A green figure opened the hatch, its face stitched up in several places, one of its yellow eyes being much larger than the other. It has two large arms but two short stubby legs as well as a lab coat.  
“Klungo?! What are you doing? We thought you turned good!” Banjo cried out in shock.  
“ Mistresses Grunty offer Klungo Jobssssss need income and mistresssss have shiney new toyssssss for Klungo to play with!”   
The patchwork monster turned his gaze to Steven and smiled.  
“ Mistresss need Sssstar childsssss power to be whole again! Sssssoo Hero Klungo take ssssstar Child from bear and bird!”  
“Oh yeah? You just try it Lunk head!” Kazzoie shouted angrily. For some reason a bird coming to his defense felt natural to Steven.  
“ hur hur hur, Klungo knew bird say that! Ssssay hello to Klungo new toyssss and minionsssss!”  
The hag 1 groaned as it’s trap door opened. Several short red men/women? Jumped out of the hag one. They all had very square shaped heads and gems like Stevens on various parts of their bodies. The small people struck a dynamic pose as they exited the hag 1 together.  
“ army!”  
“ legy!”  
“Navy!”  
“ eyeball!”  
“ doc!”   
“ They rubies are back!? I thought they were lost in space!” Steven exclaimed.  
“ hur hur hur. Foolisssssh Gemsssss methodssss of banishmmmment no match for mystressss Grunitessss magic! Recall red rubiessss from space with help of homework’s alliessssss!”   
Steven went pale as Klungo laughed. Homeworld? The witch was working with homeworld!?  
“ stay back Steven! This clowns ours!” Kazooie smirked as Banjo got back on his feet.  
“Wait banjo! These are gem warriors! They could really hurt you! Let me talk to them!”   
“Oh it’s ok Steven! Really! Kazooie and I will be fine!” Banjo smiled giving a thumbs up to the crystal gem.   
One of the rubies, the one with the gem on its leg rushed at banjo and Kazooie, it’s fist enveloped in some sort of gauntlet. The ruby screamed as it ran at full speed, the ground burning behind it. Reaching into his backpack Banjo grabbed Kazooie by the legs and yanked her out of the backpack. The breegull screamed as she slammed into the ruby with tremendous force, a cloud of red smoke poofing around her as she was quickly put back in Banjo’s backpack.  
“Whaaaaaaaat!? Kazooies a baseball bat!?” Steven said in awe, his eyes becoming tiny stars.  
“ Gu-hu! That's right! Kazooies the most talented and versatile bird in the world!” Banjo beamed as Kazooie smirked aero gently basking in the praise. The rubies all stared in shock at the fact that comrade had been so easily defeated by the mammal and his fowl.  
“ come on rubies! Let’s fuse and show these organics who’s boss!  
“ yeah!”   
The rubies all tackled each other and suddenly began to glow. Banjo and Kazooie went wide eyed as the rubies formed into one giant mega ruby standing at least twelve feet tall. The ruby roared and let loose a kick sending Banjo and Kazzoie flying. The bear and bird smacked into king Jingalings palace wall with a loud thunk! Steven gasped in shock quickly bubbling the felled ruby as he rushed over to banjo and Kazooie.   
“ where do you think your going Steven!?!” The giant ruby hissed reaching down to grab him. Steven put his shield up to stop the mega ruby from grabbing him, he strained against the force of the large fusion. He wasn’t strong enough on his own to hold this for long….  
“Bear and bird wake up now!”   
Banjo and Kazooie groaned as they opened their eyes to see Mumbo and Humba Wumba standing Over them. Humba has some strange bad smelling vial in her hand near banjos noise that had woken him up.   
“Ooohh is it morning already?” Banjo groaned struggling to his feet as Kazzoie smacked him awake.  
“Come on Banjo look! Stevens in danger!”   
The bear snapped awake as he looked out onto the field. The giant ruby was trying to grab Steven though a large pink shield of some kind. The jinjo’s and moles has thankfully all ran out of harm's way, leaving only the five of them here on the battlefield. The Hag one was currently in the process of releasing strange new monsters. These beings seemed to be disembodied arms or body parts of various colors stuck together. Banjo felt sick just looking at them. Reaching into his backpack Banjo grabbed Kazooie and held her out in front of him like a gun. The breggul looked back at him with a grin.   
“Good idea banjo! breegull blaster will make short work of these little freaks!”   
Running forward Banjo and Kazzoie cough several eggs at the hand monsters. Several of them poofed away after being hit with a few shots as the duo made there way to Steven. The young crystal gem had managed to roll out of the way of the giant rubies grip and was now standing alone surrounded by the strange monsters.   
“What are gen experiments doing here? We took care of the cluster!” Steven cried in a panic blocking several creatures as they lunges at him. Banjo started to switch up his strategy as the hands grew more aggressive. The more of them he beat the more aggressive the others seemed to become. Launching several grenade eggs from Kazzoie’s mouth Banjo cheered as many of them poofed into nothingness  
“Banjo don’t hurt them! They don’t know what they’re doing!” Steven shouted poofing several gem experiments and bubbling them.  
“Don’t hurt them? But...there monsters… aren’t they?” Banjo inquired stabbing a hand with Kazzoie’s beak.  
“They’re gen shards. They’re gems who got shattered! They’re in a lot of pain and are just trying to be whole again! We just need to beat them without hurting them so I can bubble them.”  
“ That sounds like something from a horror movie.” Kazooie interjected as the massive ruby rushed at them. Banjo tried to get out of the way but was hit hard by the fusion. The bear and bird were sent skidding along the ground. Banjo hissed in pain as he bounced against the earth before landing next to Steven.  
“Ha! Your not so tough you stupid organic! Grunty’s gonna be so happy we took care of you!” The ruby laughed as Klungo cheered on from the safety of the hag 1. Steven helped the duo to there feet. They were beat up pretty badly from the hits from the giga ruby but were still standing.  
Kazooie turned to the crystal gem beside her,“Steven, what’s the best way to beat this thing?”   
Steven put his hand to his chin in thought for a second before an idea came into his head.   
“Wait! Let me try talking to them. Maybe we can work this out, meanwhile you two poof the rest of the gem sharp experiments.”   
Banjo and Kazooie exhanched unessh looks with each other before nodding in agreement. The plan sounded a little ridiculous, but Steven was the expert in this situation. Breaking into a talon trot Kazooie rushes toward a small group of the gem experiments which were trying to go into castle Jingaling. Quickly swapping over to banjo the duo rolled into several of the small experiments poofing them before leaping into the air. Banjo pulled Kazooie out of his backpack and launched several ice eggs at the larger hand monsters. The creatures let out a muffled scream as they froze solid.   
“Well that’s disturbing” banjo frowned as Kazzoie used her ratta tat rap to break the ice poofing than gem experiments.  
Meanwhile Steven was walking towards the giga ruby, a look of determination on his young face.  
“Rubies! Stop this! We don’t have to fight!”  
“Oh yes we do! You threw us out into space and left us to rot Steven! We’ve been waiting for our chance at revenge for awhile!”  
“Can’t you see homeworld wants to destroy the earth? If earth is gone that means no more baseball!”  
The giga ruby paused.”No more baseball….”  
“That’s right! No more baseball! No more barn-“  
“And no more Steven and the crystal gems?”  
“Exactly! No more Steven and the crystal gems!”  
Steven froze as he realizes what he just said.  
Slowly Giga Ruby’s lips broke into a large sinister smile.  
“That’s great! Now take this!”  
The giga ruby wided it’s first back and threw a punch directly at Steven. Reacting quickly he managed to get his shield up in time but the force of the punch broke though the shield.   
“Steven!” Banjo cried as the crystal gem was sent flying. Kazzoie quickly popped her legs out of the bottom of the backpack and dashed over to where Steven was about to land. Leaping into the air Banjo caught the gem before Kazooie began to flap her wings to slow there fall. The trio landed on the ground semi softly as Steven nursed his eye. The kind hearted bear knelt down to Stevens level.   
“Thanks you two. That didn’t go as I had hoped it would.”  
“Steven is it ok if I poof the giant angry errrr lady now? I don’t think she wants to listen to anyone.” Banjo asked as the giga ruby began to charge towards them.  
Steven nodded reluctantly as the three of them rose to there feet. Banjo jumped into the air and Kazooie delivered a quick Ratta tat rap to the giga rubies non gem eye temporarily blinding it. The ruby howled in pain as Steven put his shield up behind her causing her to trip and fall over onto her back. Crouching down the duo launched into the air with a flip flap before spinning in a circle, Kazooie dove toward the gem delivering a drill beak to the rubies chest causing the giant to poof into thin air, four small rubies falling to the ground.  
Banjo and Kazooie as well as Steven gave a cheer of victory at the fallen ruby. At the sight of the giga ruby being defeated Klungo, who had been watching the battle from the safety of the Hag 1 turned death place  
“Hurrrrrrrr rubiesssss fail mistresssss! Now Klungo in for beatingsssss! Klungo make sneaky esssscape now!” Pulling down the hatch to the hag 1 Klungo activated the drill and revved up the engines. Banjo and Kazooie watched at the Hag 1 burrowed deep underground again, the tunnel collapsing behind it as it dug.   
“Well I guess we haven’t seen the last of lard breath” Kazooie cursed under her breath. Steven proceeded to go around putting strange bubbles around each gem. He would than tap the bubble and it would vanish into thin air. Banjo and Kazooie helped sweep up the defeated gems. Once the last gem was bubbled the trio took a break. Steven stared up at the sky lost in his own thoughts as Banjo dozed off. How had gem experiments fallen into the hands of that thing…..What was its name? Klungo? And the jinjo' had mentioned gems in something called glitter gulch mine. He knew the gems had been all over the world, but had ancient gems managed to come to this island before? He had to find out.  
“Hey Kazooie? Can I ask you a question?”  
“Sure go ahead,” The wise cracking bird responded nonchalantly.   
“One of the Jinjo’s mentioned some place called glitter gulch mine and said they had gems like mine there. They said you had been there before.”  
“Glitter Gulch? Yeah Banjo and I have been there before. Never really thought about the gems there as anything but rocks though. But now that you mention it there were a bunch of gems that kinda look like yours in glitter gulch. Why do you ask?”  
Sitting up Steven stared at the ground deep in thought.  
“If there are gems here I need to find out what's going on, this witch is working with homeworld gems, she has gem experiments. They had to come from somewhere...the mine makes the most sense.”  
Kazooie nodded her head. She liked this kids guts. He saw a problem and wanted to solve it instead of running away or sleeping like a certain bear she knew.   
“I like your guts Steven, something you should know though. Banjo and I have a lot of experience with the witch or Gruntilda, though I prefer to call her boney butt now.”  
“Yeah I kinda picked up on that from you bragging about beating her.” Steven chuckled.  
“Gruntilda’s a laughing matter, but she’s no joke, if she’s back and is teaming up with these homework-”  
“Homeworld”  
“Right that's what I said, homeworld gems! If she's working with them than having a gem expert on the team could really come in handy. Want to go on an adventure with us?” Kazooie grinned sticking her wing out to shake hands/wings  
Steven looked a the breegul. Finding out what Gruntilda and homeworld were up to was important. Extremely important. But he wanted the gems to know that he was ok. Stevens thoughts turned to the gems. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. There was no way they would let him go on this mission. Pearl would insist he stay at the temple, Garnet would just tell him no, and Amethyst ...well amethyst would probably let him go but the other two would overrule her. But the gems weren't here right now. This was his chance to have a real mission! A mission HE would be an expert on. They’d understand him coming back a bit later if it meant saving the world right?  
Taking Kazooie's wing in his hand Steven shook it.  
“You got yourselves a partner!”


	6. B.o.b

“WHADDYA MEAN YOU CAN’T TAKE US DIRECTLY TO HIM!?!!”  
Amethyst shook Mumbo Jumbo back and forth violently.  
“Mumbo no have ingredients for proper tracking spell! So cannot take rock friends and sword girl to star child!”   
Amethyst paused as she felt Garnets hand on her shoulder.  
“Amethyst, we understand your upset, we all are, but this is not the time to lose our cool. I-I’m sure Steven is fine, we just need to find him.” She said cooly. While Garent was putting on a cool exterior for her teammates and connine, on the inside she was terrified. Getting knocked out of a warp stream could very well be a death sentence for even the most able gem warrior. On top of that her future vision had started to work again. But it would only show her specific futures. In all of them the crystal gems were shattered at the hands of a bear and bird. The bird would caw laughing over there shattered gems while the bear just smiled sinisterly kicking there shattered remains around. In the background, the witch’s laughter cackling loudly. Steven bound to a table being drained by some ... machine of some kind. The witch emerging from a mechanical device with green skin laughing and cackling.   
Garnet shook her head dispelling the vision. She would NOT let that future come true. She had to keep a positive outlook. As long as they defeated this bear and bird they could save Steven. Gently pushing Amethyst to the side Garnet knelt down to the shamans level.  
“Mumbo, if we get you what you need for this ‘spell’ can you take us to Steven?”  
“ Eekum bookum! Mumbo can work mighty mumbo magic to do anything if have proper ingredients! Need only few things! Glowbow, item from star child, and jiggy!”  
“Errrr what on earth are a Glowbow and Jiggy? Are they some kind of human things? Can we have Greg buy them at a store?” Pearl asked in a confused tone.  
Mumbo shook his head.”no, rocks friends and sword girl will need to go on trip to get glowbow and jiggy, thankfully Mumbo know just the place.”   
The shamen turned away from the gems and hopped onto the warp pad. Connine began walking forward with a look of determination on her face, but before she could step onto the platform Garnet grabbed her arm.   
“ Connie, I need you to stay here.”  
The young swordswomen puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. “I am not staying here while Steven is off God knows where in danger! He’s my friend!”  
Garnet knelt down to Connie's level and put her hands on her shoulders. Sighing Garnet took off her sunglasses and looked connine in the eye.  
“ I didn’t mean you won’t be helping us find Steven connine, once we have all the materials to track Steven of course you’ll be coming with us. But we need someone to watch over beach city while we find these items for mumbo’s spell. Once we get back, we will all get Steven together.”  
Connine looked down at the floor for a moment, she didn’t like the idea of staying back and watching over the city. ( Especially after last time) Connie looked over to Pearl who was busy trying to get Mumbo to let go of one of Stevens shirts. Sighing she met Garnets gaze.  
“You promise?”  
“Cross my heart” Garnet smiled.  
Connie took a deep breath as Garnet stood up and walked over to the warp pad with Amethyst, Pearl, and Mumbo. Then, in a flash of bright light, they were gone. 

Connie stood in the now empty house. It was dead silent, no Steven, no crystal gems no-  
“Greetings to my favorite Steven!”  
Connie turned suddenly to see Peridot burst through the door with a cake followed by Lapis who blew a kazoo with a very bored expression on her face.   
“Peridot? Lapis? What are you doing here?” Connine exclaimed.  
“Well duh, it's the 30 day and night cycle anniversary of Steven getting me this green alien!” The perodactyl cried showing off her large stuffed alien.   
“Peridot insists we get a cake so I took one from the big doughnut.” Lapis explained in a bored tone.  
“Did you pay for it?” Connie replied.  
“Pay?” Lapis asked with a very confused expression on her face.  
Connie facepalmed and fished her wallet out of her backpack.   
“Lapis you can’t just take things without paying for them.”  
“Why not?” the blue gem asked.  
“BECAUSE!” Connine fummed loudly catching both Lapis and Perodit off guard.  
“Ummmm Connie ...Is everything nominal?”  
The sword fighter shook her head before explaining everything to lapis and peridot. The former homeworld gems were shocked to hear about what had transpired this very morning. Peridot had a million questions to ask about the witch grunty and how she had bound Amethyst into her gem, who this mumbo jumbo was, and what a jiggy was. Lapis on the other hand was dead silent, like an ocean storm brewing in the distance. She just nodded every couple of minutes as connine explained everything, sitting completely still. As soon as Connie finished her story, there was silence once more. The two gems and the human sat around awkwardly for a few minutes before Peridot broke the silence.   
“Well then since this witch is a formidable foe we must prepare to defeat her for when she shows her ugly face! Come new crystal gems! To the barn! Let us begin our plan to defeat the witch!”  
Connie stood up along with Peridot and struck a pose alongside her. Lapis slowly stood up as well and gave a soft “Whoo….” 

The trio's journey to the Demayo barn soon after there posing session. Along the way Connine gave money to Sadie to pay for the cake Lapis had taken along with the window she had shattered. Sadie was unphased by the whole event, she’d seen much weirder stuff than a blue alien smashing a water hand though her front window to steal a cake before.   
Connie paced around the barn as Peridot worked on some strange contraption. Lapis was still silent, having not said a word since Connie had told her what had happened. The swordswoman looked up at half a truck that was lodged in the upper front half of the barn. Lapis just sat there staring up into the sky, unmoving and silent.   
“Connie can you had me the ‘screw driver’” peridot said making air quotes when she said screw driver.  
“Ummm yeah sure.” Connie replies walking into the barn. Reaching into a toolbox she shifted around inside for a few moments before locating a screwdriver. Walking over to peridot she handed the gem the took.  
“Hey peridot?”  
The green gem looked up from the small device she was working on.  
“ Yes Connie? Is there a particular matter that I can help you with?”  
Connie rubbed her arm nervously looking up at the truck lapis was in.  
“Well...it’s Lapis, she hasn’t said anything since I told her Steven went missing. I’m kinda worried about her…”   
“You don’t need to worry, lapis is just worried that Steven perishes when he was thrown from the warp tunnel which now that I think of it, the odds of him surviving such occurs are fairly low….” Peridot though aloud, noticing Connie's suddenly distressed face the homeworld gem quickly tried to rebound.  
“But Steven does the impossible all the time so when you factor in that the odds of him surviving significantly increase to the point of near certainty!” Peridot laughed trying to calm Connie's nerves. Sure enough Connie let out a small chuckle in response to peridots sudden optimism.   
“He’s not dead.”   
Connie and Peridot turned to see Lapis Lazuli standing in the entrance to the barn. Her fists were tightly clenched at her sides, her shoulders tense and unmoving.   
“Stevens going to be ok. He HAS to be ok.”  
The blue crystal gem’s voice trembled a bit as she finished her sentence.  
“ Lapis….” Peridot said looking at her friend and barn mate with a concerned expression. Lapis folded her arms over her chest and looked away from Connie and peridot. Bringing her water wings out Lapis flew up to the top of the barn. Connie and peridot exchanged worried looks with one another as peridot continued work on her anti witch machine. 

Meanwhile….. in the cauldron keep, high above the isle o hags, a large orange gem walked into a large room. The room was filled with all sorts of machines buzzing and beeping. In the corner sat a very terrified cauldron which had been badly mangled by the owner of the keep Gruntilda. The orange gems face screwed into distaste at the thought of the undead witch. While it was true her power was unquestionable, the idea of working with an organic, or former organic in gruntilda's case, still left a sour taste in her mouth.   
“This has better be good Gruntilda.” The orange gem spat, her footsteps making loud echoes in the empty room. Grunty turned towards the gem with a wicked smile in her skeletal face.   
“Jasper, This is a treat for you to enjoy, behold my newly reconstructed destructive toy!” Grunty laughed spreading her arms out gesturing to the B.O.B.  
“Big o blaster that’s it's name! And draining things of life it’s it’s game, the coordinates are locked in for beach city!”   
Slowly a wicked smile spread across jaspers face.   
“ you mean to tell me this thing can take out all the gems reinforcements in one fell swoop?! Why didn’t we use it when the crystal gems where there?”  
Grunty shook her head smacking her honey forehead with her hand.   
“ Garnet's future vision I can obscure. But not for something like this annihilator. She’s see the attack and my spell would break. Foiling everything else that’s at stake!”  
Jasper nodded. It made sense, gruntilda's magic was indeed powerful and gem technology had no real way to counter it. But it had to have some limits.   
“What are we waiting for? Fire on the city!” Jasper roared pushing the boney witch aside and smashing the Suck button on the B.o.B.

Back at beach city Peridot, Connie and Lapis were admiring Peridots work on the witch buster machine. It was an odd contraption, functioning like a sort of ray gun of some kind.  
“Ummm Peridot? How exactly is this supposed to beat the witch? We don’t even know what she can do.” Connie asked rubbing the back of her neck. Peridot rolled her eyes.  
“Well Connie one thing you need to learn is that victory can almost always be obtained through superior firepower.”   
“Like when we brought our ship and weapons to fight Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl and lost?” Lapis chimed.  
Peridots smile faded as she turned towards the water witch. But before she could chastise lapis she saw something in the distance, a bright light of some kind. It was massive, spanning almost the entire horizon from out towards the sea. Connie new Lapis turned towards the bright light as it drew closer. Lapis reacted quickly putting up a shield of water to try and protect her and her friends as the giant wave of light washed over them.

Several minutes later the crystal gems rematerialized in the gem temple.   
“I am NEVER EVER EVER going to hunt down one of those monstrosities again!” Pearl shouted pointing at the strange creature Mumbo had in his arms. The creature in question was a glowbo, a small round pink creature that stood on two legs with large eyes and ears. Apparently they were highly magical according to Mumbo.  
“Yo Pearl calm down, now that Mumbo has the pink think we can find Steven!” Amethyst added with a smirk stretching her arms behind her head in a relaxed manner.  
Garnet however noticed something was wrong. Making her way off the platform she strode across the room and towards the door. As she pushed the door open she gasped in shock. The entire world around her seemed to have been drained of all color.   
“Pearl! Amethyst! Come quickly!” Garnet cried.  
Within seconds her fellow crystal gems were at her side. Amethyst screamed as what she saw and Pearl let out a gasp covering her mouth at the sight. Beach city appeared to have been drained of all its color. The city seemed lifeless and dull as compared to its usual vibrant but quiet status quo. The gems all looked at each other before quickly taking off towards the city. They ran along the beachside as fast as there legs could carry them. Pearl noticed the Mr.Universe van parked along the boardwalk and immediately ran towards it. Something was wrong with beach city, she had to make sure Greg was ok. Sure they had there differences and disagreements in the past, but the fact of the matter was Greg meant the world to Steven….. and he has meant the world to rose. Pearl wasn’t about to let anything happen to him.   
“Greg! Greg are you in there?!” Pearl cried grabbing the doors to the universe van and pulling on them. Pearl heard a moaning sound from within the van, something was wrong, she could feel it.   
“GREG ANSWER ME!” Pearl shouted, Garnet and Amethyst came up besides her.   
“Come on Greg! Like stop messing around!” Amethyst said nervously. Garnet was silent as she grabbed the doors to the universe and simply ripped them off the hinges. The crystal gems gasped in horror at what they saw. Like the rest of beach city Greg seemed to be grey and lifeless. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head. His skin which was normally sunburnt from spending so much time at the car wash was a dark grey. But Greg was still standing upright ... still moving. The former rockstar turned moaning and lunged at Pearl. Reacting quickly Amethyst pulled out one of her whips and cracked it. The whip wrapping around Greg trapping him as he fell harmlessly onto the sand. Pearl put her hands on Greg’s face as the zombified mr universe struggled in his restraints.   
“Greg! Greg it’s me! Pearl! Don’t you remember me?” Pearl cried on the verge of a breakdown. Steven was gone, beach city had been drained of its life and color, and Greg was-  
“Pooooorrrrrrkk chooooopppssssss..”  
Pearl, who was on the verge of tears froze, staring at Greg she began to smile.  
“Yes Greg yes! Disgusting compiled animals fats and meats! Those are your favorites! You and Steven love those!”  
Greg began to struggle in his binds again squirming and moaning like one of those things Steven watched on his television. What were they called again? Ah yes ‘zombies’ Pearl thought shocked the human entertainment was helping her figure out this current predicament. Looking around her at the city the sheer scale of this cataclysmic event dawned on the sword dancer. In the distance she could see a zombified Lars and Sadie weakly smacking into the doors of the big Donut. Seeing Sadie so grey sent a cool down Pearls spine. Lars honestly didn;t seem that different. Mr.Smiley walked the boardwalk, but there was no smile on his face, no life in his eyes.   
“The entire town ...Rose fought so hard to keep these humans safe and I went and blew it……’ Peel whispered to herself. Than a chill went down her spine, the entire town, that meant everyone.   
Pearl sprang to her feet.  
“Connie! Where'S Connie!?!?”   
“M-maybe she's at the barn? Peridot and Lapis might still be there! Maybe they can explain what happened?” Amethyst stuttered trying to process what was going on.   
Pearl picked up greg and threw him over her shoulder before taking off towards the barn. Garnet and Amethyst quickly ran after her, all of them were in a panic. Beach city had been under there protection since it was founded. Now, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone, its people reduced to mindless zombies by some unknown force. The crystal gems raced towards the barn at full speed. Amethysts head was swiveling all around taking in the sight of what had become of her home. Garnet was trying to keep her cool demeanor, but even she was struggling to keep herself together. The trio raced up the greyed out hill to the demayo barn, once they got to the top of the hill Pearl gasped. Greg fell from her shoulder, falling to her knees Pearl stared in horror at the sight of a grey and lifeless Connie shuffling in front of the barn. Her eyes were lifeless saucurs not unlike holo Pearl’s. In the zombified Connie's hands were two greyed gems belonging to Lapis and Peridot respectively.   
“No…..”Amythest brought her hand to her mouth as she turned away, trying to reject that the sight before her was real. Garnet clenched her fists as her form began to waver, gripping herself tightly she tried to keep herself together. Pearl slowly rose to her feet and walked over to Connie, tears streaming down her face as she put her arms around her pupil. The zombie Connie struggling in Pearls arms moaning quietly.   
“Lapiiisssssss Perrrrriiidoooooooot……”   
“Don’t worry Connie… w-we’ll find a way to fix this, your going to be ok.” Pearl assured Connie, but she was reassuring herself more than anything. Pearl held Connie for awhile, the young swordswomen kept groaning as Pearl held her, struggling weakly in her grasp. Pushing her back a bit Pearl looked at Connie, gently reaching for her hands she picked up Lapis and Peridots gems. Both of them seemed to be drained of their color. Had whatever done this trapped them in there gems like the witch’s spell? No, amethyst's gem still had its color. Lapis and Peridots gems seemed ...drained ...empty, quickly bubbling them Pearl tapped the gems sending them to the gem temple for safe keeping. Pearl let go of Connie who began to stumble away from her in a mindless shamble. Taking a shaky breath Pearl turned back to Garnet and Amethyst. Amethyst wasn't holding together well, the scrappy earth gem stared at Connie in abject horror, she had not lived though the rebellion, she didn’t know what it was like to see a place you love reduced to…..Pearl shook her head, no she had to remain strong, the earth had been damaged before by homeworld and she and Rose managed to fix it.   
“It was the witch that did this, th-that's the only explanation for this, no gem weapon can do something like this.” Pearl stuttered. Looking at Amethyst and Garnet she could tell they were lost. Garnet's future vision not working must be taking its toll on the bulwark fusion. Amethyst had no experience with something like this, neither did Pearl. But someone had to step up to get them through this…..   
“What would Steven do?” Pearl whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath Pearl stood up and strode over to trying to put on a strong facade for her comrades. She was Rose Quartz Pearl! She was a problem solver, Stevens disappearance and what has happened to beach city were problems, and she was going to solve them!  
“ Amethyst! Garnet! Listen to me! We are the crystal gems! The protectors of earth! This witch has declared war on us and our home!” Pearl turned her gaze to Garnet.  
“When homeworld invaded earth and shattered our allies did we give up?”  
“N-no we fought on but-”  
“But nothing! We fought because we believed the earth was worth protecting! This witch is a threat to the life on earth that we swore to protect! Beach city is not lost!”  
Picking up Greg who was currently chewing his own air Pearl lifting him up and pushed him into Garnets face.   
“Greg is still in here! He mentioned pork chops! Those disgusting processed foodstuffs he loves! And Connie mentioned Lapis and Peridot by name! The people of beach city are still in these dull husks!” She said dropping Greg who began to wander towards the barn.  
“Mumbo has the tracking spell for Steven, once we find Steven we can find the witch and fix this mess! Because we are the crystal gems! We always find a way!”


	7. Glitter Gulch Mine

“Life and death and love and birth -’  
“Life and death and love and birth -”  
“Life and death and love and birth on the isle o hags BREEGA!!!!!!”  
Banjo and Steven cinged as Kazooie ruined the last verse of there song. The trio had been slowly making there way to Glitter gulch mine after Banjo had woken up from his nap. The two mammals had a lot in common as it turned out, both loved sunshine, naps, food, video games, and playing music. Steven didn’t have an instrument with him so they sang along to tunes that Banjo played on his banjo. Kazooie played along on her kazoo as well. As they passed by Jiggywiggy temple Steven cast an uneasy glance over at the sacred keep of the jiggy. It had only been a few hours since he had been running for his life from all those monsters with Amethyst. So much had happened since then, hopefully, the gems were ok without him. But the way that Jinjo described this glitter gulch mine…. it had to be a kindergarten…. right?   
Banjo hummer happily strolling alongside Steven, turning his head to the side he noticed the concerned look on the boy’s faces.   
“Don’t you worry Steven! After our trip to Glitter Gulch, we’ll swing back by Jiggywigs and explain the situation to him, he’s an old pal of ours.” Banjo gu-hu'd merrily.  
“Errr though now that I think about it…. why are we going to Glitter Gulch mine again?”   
Kazzoie pecked Banjo on the head in an annoyed manner.  
“Because Stevens the gem expert and he said so! There’s like a million gems in Glitter gulch, and that means a million butts to kick!”   
Steven couldn’t help but snicker at the bear and birds banter. They kinda reminded him of Sadie and Lars, Banjo always wanting to look on the brighter side of things and Kazooie being ...a very strong individual. The trio soon came across a stone staircase leading up to a stone platform high above them. The ledge was about ten feet high up off the ground so neither steven or banjo and Kazooie could reach it.   
“ Ok steven, here’s what we gotta do to get up there…” Banjo began before steven took a running start at the stone platform. Using his gem to make himself lighter steven practically flew to the top of the platform in a single jump. Banjo stared at the young boy who had just leapt ten feet into the air like it was nothing with a stunned expression on his face.  
“Well @#!* me that was impressive”   
“Kazooie! This is a PG13 story!”  
“Yeah, that’s why it appeared as @#!* and not fu-”  
Banjo reached backward and grabbed Kazooies beak holding it shut much to the annoyance of the bird. Quickly running over to large rock Banjo leapt on top of the boulder before launching himself into the air with a flip-flap with the help of Kazooie. Grabbing onto a ledge Banjo shimmied over to the platform steven was standing on before dropping down to steven’s level.   
“You failed to mention that you jump like a fat red Italian on top of looking like one.” Kazooie blurted at Steven.  
“Sorry, my gem lets me do all sorts of crazy stuff, I can summon a shield, make a bubble, jump really high, and heal things by spitting on them,” Steven explained counting off his various abilities on his fingers.   
“Well it's nice to have such a talented companion helping us out!” Banjo smiled.  
Steven blushed and waved his hand dismissively in response. The trio than walked through the tunnel on the platform. It was pretty dark inside the tunnel for a little but, but thankfully Kazooie could shoot flaming eggs out of her mouth which lit the way. Steven found himself questioning how she regurgitated so many eggs that were literally on fire, but it wasn't that weird to him. After all, he was his own mom. 

Upon exiting the tunnel steven felt a somber feeling in his gut. The area that he saw in front of him definitely reminded him of a kindergarten. Large piles of rock or maybe coal litter the landscape, to his left was a sheer cliffside. When he looked down, he couldn’t even see a bottom, just dark clouds far below him. Turning back to the landscape he noticed a few interesting sights, one there appeared to be a massive beehive atop one of the piles of coal. It was gigantic, easily two or three stories tall. Across from the beehive was a tunnel surrounded by green moss that leads off somewhere else. Then, between the beehive and tunnel was a square opening in the ground easily large enough for several people to fit though.   
“ I see the mine part, but not the glitter” Steven said as the trio made their way down towards the piles of rock.  
“ Oh that's because the mine in the underground! That's where all the gemstones are, but before we go in, we should give Honey B a visit.” Banjo said walking merrily towards the giant bee house. Steven sniffed the air, the smell of freshly made honey wafting from the bee house into his nose. A smile spread across his face as the trio made their way up the steep slope. As they walked into the beehive, Steven couldn’t help but let out a gasp. The inside of the bee house looked like a giant beehive! The walls, ceiling, and floor all seemed to be made out of honeycombs with small bees flying around tending to the honey. On the far side of the bee house was a giant honey bee, the bee looked like a hybrid between a very tall and slender women and a honey bee. She smiled as the trio walked into the hive. Bees buzzing all around her as she flew over the counter she was standing behind. She knelt down to the trios level and began to speak in a sweet voice like honey.   
“Oh hello, Banjo! How are you doing today? Come for your honey?” The giant bee turned her head and looked at steven. Her eyes widening as she squealed and suddenly reached out towards him. Banjo tried to stop her but soon steven was being lifted by the nearly eight-foot-tall bee women like a baby.  
“Awwwww look at him! He's so cute! That little star on his shirt is adorable! And is hair is just a little black poof ball!!” Steven smiled nervously as the giant bee lady as she tucked him underneath her arm. As steven was held underneath the giant bee’s arm he couldn’t help but wonder, why was he so irresistible to giant women? Opal, Sardonyx, Sugilite… was he just irresistible to giant women?  
“Ummm excuse me, miss Bee?” Steven squeaked only for the bee to ignore him.  
“Banjo is it ok if I keep him? He’s really cute and he would make a great assistant I just know it! I could feed him, train him, oh I know lets name him baby bee!”   
“Honey!!!” Banjo bellowed, the colossal bee snapped back into reality looking down at the bear and bird.  
“Honey that's Steven, he's out a friend, and a crystal gem. He’s not a pet or baby bee. Can you please put him down?”  
Honey B held steven out in front of her with her arms fully extended.  
“But Banjo! Just look at him! He’s baby!”   
Kazooie glared at the insect. “Just because he’s pudgy and round does not make him baby, now put the kid down, we need him to take down Gruntilda and her gem pals!”  
Honey B’s smile instantly became strained, kneeling down the bee gently placed Steven on the ground before standing back up.   
“Y-you mean she’s back? Gruntilda’s back?”  
“I’m afraid so Honey, Steven here got hit by some of her magic and ended up falling from the sky near our house. She’s teaming up with these things called gems which are magical ladies with gemstones in them for some reason.”  
Honey Bee looked down at Banjo, playing with her antennae subconsciously she began to pace the hive. Bees buzzed around her as the massive honey bee paced the length of the beehive.  
“Oh no no no no no this is bad, this is VERY bad.” She turned to the bear and bird kneeling down to there level.  
“Banjo you have to do something! If she finds out that I helped you during one of your previous adventures she’ll destroy my hive and all by babies will be-”  
Banjo smiled warmly at the bee, standing up on his tiptoes the bear put his hands on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look.   
“Don’t you worry honey! Your babies will be perfectly safe! The three of us are going to stop Grunty’s evil plan!”  
“Yeah! So if you have any extra honeycombs for us we’d really appreciate it.” Kazooie cawed flapping her wings impatiently.  
“Oh! Oh yes! Just give me one second!” Honey Bee quickly flew over to the corner of her hive and grabbed a few honey combs off her shelves. Banjo was practically drooling as the bee flew back over and tossed him the honey combs she had in her arms. Banjo caught the honeycombs and quickly started shoving them into his mouth scarfing them down. Steven was slightly taken aback by how violently banjo devoured the honeycombs, but banjo WAS a bear after all.   
“Guess bears really do love honey….”Steven whispered to himself as Banjo started to lick the honey off his fingers. Banjo froze after he noticed Steven, Honey Bee, and Kazooie all staring at him. Kazooie coughed, breaking the awkward silence.  
“So thanks for the extra health Honey, but we should really get going.”  
The breegull pulled banjo towards the door as the bear waved goodbye to the giant insect.  
“Thanks Honey! And don’t worry about your babies! We’ll stop Gruntila and everything will be ok!”   
Steven followed the duo out of the beehive and down the large pile of rocks the hive sat upon. The trio made their way over to the large hole in the ground in the middle of the quarry together. Steven looked down the large hole, there was a rope tied to the wooden planks surrounding the hole allowing for a safe descent down into the mine.  
“You know Banjo, Kazooie, this morning I woke up and started playing some video games at my house and now I’ve met talking bears, birds, bees, cat things, and scientific monsters with giant drills, is there anything I need to be prepared for down here?”  
Banjo narrowed his eyes in thought as he raised his hand to stroke his chin in thought.   
“Well I guess there Chuffy, the living pile of coal, but he’s a jolly old soul.”  
Steven was actually somewhat comforted by the fact that there was a living rock creature down there. Than something occurred to Steven.  
“Wait ...He?”  
Banjo Nodded. “Yep! We had a fight with old king Cole When we first met, but we settled our differences and now we’re friends! GuHu!”   
Steven couldn't help but smile a bit, he never thought he’d relate so well to a bear, much less with such great fashion sense! Those yellow shorts and blue backpack really worked on him! Steven watched as banjo and Kazooie leapt down into the mine with a smile on their faces, they landed at the bottom of the hole with a soft thud. The duo looked up at Steven and guestred for him to drop down. Steven put on his serious face and lept down into the mine, landing much softer than Banjo and Kazooie. Looking up Steven couldn’t help but gasp at what he saw. While above ground there were large piles of rock, down here there were massive piles of purple gems, easily ten to twelve feet tall each. Some even managed to get to twenty feet or more. Atop one of the massive piles of gems which had been smoothed out like a plateau, was a native american Teepee. Mine tracks ran throughout the mine which curved and twisted up into the walls and down below and around the piles of gems. The sound of running water filled the mine as an underground river twisted though the mine. Steven rushed forward towards the pile of gems as fast as his feet could carry him. Skidding to a halt he knelt down in front of the pile and picked up one of the gemstones. It was an amethyst, that much he could tell, or rather what was left of an amethyst. As steven looked at the large piles of gems he noticed something, something that sent a shiver of horror down his spine.  
This wasn't a kindergarten where gems were grown.  
This was a burial site where gems were sent after they had been shattered.   
“Wh-why is this here?! What is this place?!” Steven cried panicking.  
Banjo and Kazooie rushed over to Steven and knelt down at his side. Kazooie cast Banjo a concerned look to her partner.   
“Wow steven calm down! Its ok!” Banjo said trying to comfort the gem warrior as best he could.   
“Banjo! This place isn't a mine! It's a graveyard for gems! All these are shattered gems!”   
The bear and bird felt a sudden pit in their guts.   
“You mean all these gemstones are like those little red people’s bodies? B-but what happened to the rest of them?” Kazooie asked trembling.  
“Gems bodies are made of light, but there gems makes up there being, who they are, if there gem is shattered….” Steven’s voice trailed off. The trio sat in silence for a little bit. Banjo and Kazooie looked around at glitter gulch with a new perspective. Before, they had been leaping from the rocky outcroppings and crystal piles with joyful glee collecting jiggies, notes, and saving a few jinjo’s along the way…...now though?  
“Banjo I don’t think I wanna stay down here anymore.” Kazooie said bluntly cutting straight to the point.   
Banjo cast a nervous glance back at Kazooie, and then one towards steven. The young boy was obviously as uncomfortable as they were.   
“Hello bear and bird and star child!”  
The trio looked up to see Humba Wumba atop one of the shattered gem piles emerging from her Wiggum.The trio cringed as she slid down the pile of gems. With a hop and a skip Humba wumba had closed the distance between her Wigdum and the trio.   
“Friends should have let Humba know they were coming to mine! Humba would have prepared welcoming!” Banjo stood up quickly pushing Humba back a bit.  
“Errr Humba…..now might not be the best time to…..”  
Humba looked passed Banjo at Steven. She could see visible distress on the humans face, was something wrong with him? She remembered how she felt when she ended up on the isle o hags, there were no other humans, she had been all alone for a long tie. She had met Banjo, Kazooie, the jinjos, the mole family, and even that numbskull mumbo. They had made her life better for her, even though she had been the only human on the island that wasn’t a witch...maybe…  
“Star child, what is the matter? Can Humba help?”  
Steven looked up at the shawomen, she was nearly the size of garnet which was considerable. She wore a buckskin dress that came down to her knees and matching moccasins. A single red feather poked out from her head as well.   
“You…. you live here?”  
The shawomen nodded “ Humba live in many places all over the island, Wiggum move to wherever Humba is needed most. Humba was needed in mine, so here Humba is.” Kneeling down she looked Steven in the eyes, a soft expression on her face as she put her hand on his cheek.  
“You are hurting star child, let Humba help you in any way I can.”   
Steven looked down at the ground, this Humba Wumba reminded him a lot of Garnet. What would the gems think of this place? What was this place exactly?   
“I need to know what happened to all these gems here, why haven’t they tried to reform? Who piled up all these shattered gems?”  
Humba turned her head and looked at the pile of shattered gems. Reaching her hand out she touched one of the shattered gems with her hand. Magic hummed in the air as she sent a spell though the pile of purple gemstones.  
“Humba can help you star child, these gems affected by magic of island, they cannot form here. But shards are happy, speaking with one another?”  
Humba turned her attention to Steven.  
“Does this make sense to you star child?”  
Steven looked at the piles of shattered gem shards. So they were like the cluster, only the magic of this island somehow kept them from forming into gem mutants like the ones he had accidentally released in the temple so long ago. Reaching out Steven put his hand on the pile of gem shards. Taking a deep breath he projected himself into the collective consciousness of the pile.  
Steven opened his eyes to find himself in a Wild West town of sorts. Wooden buildings decorated two sides of a long path filled with gems in various western attire. All the gems seemed happy and content. A few were riding horses through the streets while others gossiped about random everyday things. Steven smiled to himself before pulling himself out of the gem piles subconscious. Opening his eyes back in his own body he smiled.   
“The gems are happy, they formed a community with each other down here.”  
Banjo and Kazooie both exchanged nervous looks with one another.  
“Ummm so it was ok that we were running around on them during our last adventure here?” Banjo winced unsure of how to react in this scenario.  
“They probably never even noticed you two. There in a world of their own right now.”   
Banjo heaved a sigh of relief as Kazooie squinted at Steven.  
“Hold on a second! How do you know there ok? What did you read their minds or something?”   
“No I just astrally projected my conscious into their collective subconscious so I could find out what was happening.” Steven answered jumping to his feet.  
Banjo, Kazooie, and Humba Wumba all exchanged very bewildered looks with one another. None of them had any idea what that even meant. Not that they were going to admit it.  
“Just play along Banjo.” Kazooie whispered to her partner who simply nodded in response.  
“So Steven, got all the info you need than?” Banjo chimed ready to be done interacting with the remains of shattered gems.  
Steven shook his head placing his hand on the pile.  
“No, I need to know what shattered all these gems, why were they all brought here?” Steven turned to Humba Wumba.  
“Is there any way for me to learn about this mines history? A book maybe or some weird gem thingy?”   
Humba Wumba gave Steven a confused look.  
“Only person who would know all about the mine is Chuffy, he has lived here for as long as anyone can remember. Humba shall take you to him.”   
The shawomen turned and strode away from the gem pile towards a far corner of the mine. Steven got up and began to follow her, as for Banjo he leaned over next to the pile of shattered gems  
“I’m really very sorry for stepping on you all those times!” He whispered to the pile before running to catch up with his comrades.

The four adventures made there way through the damp mine together. The mine was a surprisingly open place with a lot of room to navigate in. Following some minecart tracks out me hero’s soon found themselves staring at a large train. The train was made of blackened steel and chuffed loudly, black smoke billowing from its pipes.   
Humba turned to Steven and gestured to the train.  
“Inside train is oldest being on all island king coal. If anyone can tell you about fate of gems it will be him.  
“Thanks Humba! You’ve been a big help.” Steven smiled sincerely at the Indian who blushed smiling.  
“Star child flatters Humba, wish you best of luck with old king coal and adventure!”  
Steven’s smile faded.  
“You mean your not coming with us?”   
The Shawomen shook her head, “ No, Humba have things to do back in Wingdum.”  
The trio turned back to the train as Humba Wumba walked away back to her Wiggum.   
The trio than boarded the train via a latter leading into the conductors room. Banjo and Steven put their hands in front of their faces to block an intense blast of heat from the boiler room of the train. Summoning his shield Steven protected himself from the intense heat. The room was lit up by a single hole leading to the boiler room which had a raging inferno inside it.   
“BANJO KAZOOIE ITS BEEN AWHILE!!!” A voice boomed from the boiler room shaking the entire train.  
“King coal! It’s so good to see you again! How are you?!” Banjo shouted back sweating profusely from the heat in the room.   
“I'M DOING GREAT!! WHO’S YOUR FRIEND?! HE A HUMAN?”  
“Hey boiler brain we’re roasting alive in here! Turn down your boiler already!” Kazooie squawked in annoyance shielding her face with her wings as well as banjo’s.  
“OH SORRY YOU TWO!! GIMME A SECOND!!”  
The heat in the room began to die down a bit as the room became a bit dimmer. A single large eye poked through the hole leading to the boiler room staring at the trio.  
“HEY I WAS RIGHT! YOU TWO DID BRING A HUMAN-“ King coals voice suddenly cut off, his eyes narrowing as he saw steven’s shield.  
“rose?”


End file.
